The death toll on Manitoba highways continues to rise in 2020.
The latest fatal collision occurred Oct. 26 when a 51-year-old Thompson man lost control of the cement truck he was driving and rolled on Highway 392 near Snow Lake.
Only days before, on Oct. 24, a man and woman were killed on Highway 210 when their car drifted onto the shoulder of the road and hit a bridge near Ste. Anne.
Manitoba RCMP Cpl. Julie Courchaine tells Global News fatalities are up significantly.
“Year-to-date there have been 76 fatal collisions that have resulted in 85 deaths,” she said. “Last year at this time there were 61 fatal collisions that resulted in 66 deaths. Obviously, we are quite a bit higher than last year at this time.”
She adds that speed has been a factor in 27 per cent of highway deaths this year.
Courchaine stresses that these deaths are avoidable. “That’s why we’re trying to put the word out there on social media about what we’re seeing and how dangerous it is,” she said. “Maybe that will get people talking and parents talking to their kids. We want people to drive safely and carefully.”